State of Origin, 2025.

[Mark from Brisbane]

I thought it was one of the best state of origin games ever played. It was a high quality game of football especially from QLD. I was on the edge of my seat the entire 2nd half with NSW throwing everything they had at QLD, but QLD repelled almost everything NSW threw at them.

Damn QLD were so good. It’s very rare to see such a perfect performance from a team, especially a team that’s been put together to play a mini series.

Last nights state of origin broke records. TV, streaming, and media ratings got smashed. Everybody is talking about the game it was one of the greatest rugby league spectacles ever.

Well done to all involved. What a showcase.

Gee I don’t think I saw NSW throwing everything at them at any stage.

The possession at half time was 60/40 to QLD and really the only time NSW looked like scoring was early in the second half when they got a penalty close to the line , then dribbled it through for a restart and then got 2 x 6 agains, and scored right in the corner.

Otherwise it was “ meh “.

Not taking away from QLD but you just knew with the emotion surrounding Munster that this would galvanise them like nothing else.

 

[danny-boy]

Gee I don’t think I saw NSW throwing everything at them at any stage.

NSW threw everything at them in the 2nd half that was only repelled by QLD’s last ditch effort. Dearden pummelling To’o over the touchline when he was certain to score. Hamiso throwing his body in front of Angus Crichton one metre out from the line. Hamiso again showing speed to bat a ball dead when NSW looked certain to score from a well placed kick.

NSW were asking questions the entire 2nd half but QLD had an answer for almost everything.

 

[HoldenV8]

Fun Fact:

Nathan Cleary is now 0–3 in State of Origin deciders, losing the deciding game in 2020, 2022 and now 2025.

Multiple Tests and a World Cup Final winner. He has won Origin before in 2018 while being part of the 2019, 2021 and 2023 winning squads. He's won 4 Premierships in a row and is a Clive Churchill Medallist.

Yet success in Origin deciders continues to evade him.

Interesting fact to go along with that.....there was another former NSW halfback who won Origin, played multiple Tests and won 4 Grand Finals, yet the only Origin decider he played in, he lost. That player was Peter Sterling

 

[eaglebuzz]

The series was lost the moment Daley was picked again as coach. Slater has his measure, and we already knew that. It's time for NSW to appoint a coach with an actual football brain. I'd pick Ennis if it were up to me.

Game 3 was lost at the selection table. Luai, king and Utoikamanu should not have been on that side. Katoa, Koloamatangi and May should have been.

Until NSW learns the importance of form on selections they are going to keep losing origin series that they should win. The moment they start picking the right players they will put a dynasty together.

 

[Pete W]

Hindsight is a wonderful thing. Not trying to defend Daley or his selections, but NSW had an abundance of high quality options available to them, as they normally do. It's easy to criticise after a loss, but that was still a side of great players, almost the same side that won easily in Game 1.

For mine, it's simple: Qld play better Origin.

Yes, Slater clearly knows what he's doing, but year in, year out, when compared to NSW, they come together as a TEAM with more unity, purpose, and passion. With the odd exception to the rule, it's quite obviously a cultural thing.

 

[Cochrane]

QLD SOO can turn run of the mill Nrl players into high quality players for an evening.

That doesn't occur for run of the mill NSW players, lending weight perhaps to your cultural theory.

They will run through brick walls, perhaps nsw players will too, but they don't do it to the level of Qlders.

Sux to be a new south Welshman. I preferred the 80s where I didn't support a team or more supported Qld cause it was stacked with manly players.

 

[eaglebuzz]

Hindsight is a wonderful thing. Not trying to defend Daley or his selections, but NSW had an abundance of high quality options available to them, as they normally do. It's easy to criticise after a loss, but that was still a side of great players, almost the same side that won easily in Game 1.

For mine, it's simple: Qld play better Origin.

Yes, Slater clearly knows what he's doing, but year in, year out, when compared to NSW, they come together as a TEAM with more unity, purpose, and passion. With the odd exception to the rule, it's quite obviously a cultural thing.

This starts in the selections too. That's why QLD pick guys like Capewell and Shibasaki.

NSW pick out of form, lazy "superstar" players. QLD pick workers.

 

[conanu]

The footy gods love QLD. They always get the right leg up at the right time. As heartbreaking as it is for Munster, Billy Slater can thank his old man for passing away when he did. Regardless if Munster played or not that team had steely focus every day knowing they were doing it for Munster. Take that out of the equation and they lose. Think about it, during their dynasty they never had any long term injuries to multiple key players(cameron smith missed one game in all those years). NSW on the other hand get major injuries to key players just about every year. It just never seems to fall the way NSW need it. I also believe that the NRL knows if QLD start getting flogged like we did all those years then Origin will die quickly, if nsw won 3 series in a row its finished as a concept. imagine NSW winning 8??

 

[Tragic Eagle]

NSW won the first game and got cocky and then QLD pulled their pants down in the two remaining games with both first halfs almost the same script. NSW had poor discipline and were out enthused. Everybody knows that you never underestimate the Maroons except the current origin squad.

 

[Pete W]

This starts in the selections too. That's why QLD pick guys like Capewell and Shibasaki.

NSW pick out of form, lazy "superstar" players. QLD pick workers.

Easy to say poor selections from us fans. A lot of thought goes into tactics. Stefano, King, Young even Cleary play for winning teams, but they had poor games by their standards. A fit Luai and Mitchell normally add serious x-factor, and the best judges wouldn't criticise their selections. Does Katoa or May seriously change the result? QLD picked some guys from struggling clubs in Toia, Dearden, Mann, yet they stepped up.

After the Munster news, I had no doubt QLD would win. It doesn't take much to galvanise them

 

[eaglebuzz]

Easy to say poor selections from us fans. A lot of thought goes into tactics. Stefano, King, Young even Cleary play for winning teams, but they had poor games by their standards. A fit Luai and Mitchell normally add serious x-factor, and the best judges wouldn't criticise their selections. Does Katoa or May seriously change the result? QLD picked some guys from struggling clubs in Toia, Dearden, Mann, yet they stepped up.

After the Munster news, I had no doubt QLD would win. It doesn't take much to galvanise them

I agree on your last point about Munster, they were always going to be up for this game. But yes, different selections would have absolutely made a difference.

Utoikamanu was ball watching, May would have been a much better choice.

Luai has been bog average all year, Katoa is killing it.

Max King was ineffective, Koloamatangi plays with mongrel and impact.

Those three changes, coupled with better use of the bench (especially not leaving Robson out there 15 minutes after he was too buggered to give good service from dummy half) could have easily been the difference.

But at the end of the day QLD were the better side.

 

[Rafferty]

The big difference, game 1 was Dollar, Barnett and Mosses, had the status quo remained, NSW 3 zip

Game 2 Slater was pro active, Daley reactive. Dollar, Fermore, Mo all ineffective game 1, drops the first 2, moves Deardon into 7, elevates Mann to 14 (big energy gains there) brings Capewell in to the starting side, (another energy gain and in career best form) puts Nanai on the bench, Shifts Loiero into the starting side and plays Carrigan from the bench, (upgraded bench energy and impact)

Can’t say what Daley was thinking, as pointed out, he sure as hell didn’t consider form.

Game 3 Slater again knew he’d need improvement going to Sydney and seeing what happened toward the back end of game 2. Ponga’s injured, (which may have helped) brings Walsh into the squad, but goes with Hammer back to FB, moves Holmes out and brings in one of the form centres of the comp, to partner the other big call he made at the start of the series in Toia, drops Mo to bring in Big Papa, they love him and they and the rest is history.

Daley on the other hand chose to stick with his losing selections from game 2. NSW certainly don’t get origin or what it takes, sure they win it occasionally but until there is a cultural shift, nothing much will change and if NSW stick with Daley next year, I feel pretty sure it will be a case of rinse and repeat or worse.

 

[Rafferty]

Manly should of went after Slatter as a coach, he would of attracted the talent he wanted, players would of signed with us to play for him, he has the footy brain, would of instilled the hunger and develop a good culture, he wouldn’t of been afraid to make the necessary calls, shame we went after Seibs, I don’t hate the bloke, but his no Slatter.

And before anyone says he’d never of come here, (which he probably wouldn’t off and now most likely never will) he just may have back then, with a good long term contract offer and the full autonomy to build his side and do things his way, anyway that ships sailed and that’s that Manly chose Seibs.

Another reason I think there was a small window, stems from the rivalry he had with us as a player, he knew we were a tough club and dare I say he had a level of respect for what we achieved, ohhhh what’s happened……..

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

I hate to say this , and it’s been said by many before me, but I think QLD just are more invested in SOO than NSW.

For those that live elsewhere , you have no comprehension how big Origin is up here , everyone’s into it , the news is full of it , the tyres are being pumped constantly and they are ALWAYS the underdog.

They only need one little thing to lift them to an even higher level , “ worst QLD side in history “, “ they’ve lost game 1 so 3 zip coming “ or as in this case the passing of their captains father.

I came down ( years ago now ) for a 3rd decider in Sydney, honestly until you got on the train to go out you’d hardly know a big game was on, whereas up here it’s just absolute wall to wall.

We’ll win a few games , and a few series but it’ll be due to other factors ( major injuries etc ) rather than NSW really getting it and getting down & dirty.

It’s just a fact of life , and probably why I’m nowhere near as invested in these games as I once was.

 

[HoldenV8]

The series was lost the moment Daley was picked again as coach. Slater has his measure, and we already knew that. It's time for NSW to appoint a coach with an actual football brain. I'd pick Ennis if it were up to me.

Game 3 was lost at the selection table. Luai, king and Utoikamanu should not have been on that side. Katoa, Koloamatangi and May should have been.

Until NSW learns the importance of form on selections they are going to keep losing origin series that they should win. The moment they start picking the right players they will put a dynasty together.

5 series losses in 6 series coached.

And Daley thinks he should be coach again.....

 

[HoldenV8]

NSW won the first game and got cocky and then QLD pulled their pants down in the two remaining games with both first halfs almost the same script. NSW had poor discipline and were out enthused. Everybody knows that you never underestimate the Maroons except the current origin squad.

It sounds like a typical NSW attitude after winning the first game of a series.

Qld win a Game 1 and they take the attitude that there is still a lot more hard work to do. NSW win a Game 1 and more often than not they get it into their heads that the series is basically over right there.

And as usual it came back to bite the Blues on their ar$e.

 

[Brookie1973]

The footy gods love QLD. They always get the right leg up at the right time. As heartbreaking as it is for Munster, Billy Slater can thank his old man for passing away when he did. Regardless if Munster played or not that team had steely focus every day knowing they were doing it for Munster. Take that out of the equation and they lose. Think about it, during their dynasty they never had any long term injuries to multiple key players(cameron smith missed one game in all those years). NSW on the other hand get major injuries to key players just about every year. It just never seems to fall the way NSW need it. I also believe that the NRL knows if QLD start getting flogged like we did all those years then Origin will die quickly, if nsw won 3 series in a row its finished as a concept. imagine NSW winning 8??

Spot on about origin needing qld to be successful. If we had won game 2 and the second series in a row, the talk was billy was going to walk. Where would that leave qld? In a mess. That simply can’t be allowed to happen. Hey presto, nsw get hammered 9 zip in the first half penalties, effectively ensuring a decider. Fast forward to game 3 and Klein now can’t find a penalty or six again to save himself, despite Queensland’s “rushing defence” all night. Either their outside backs are superhuman or they were offside all night.

 

[Darknstormy]

dump Dce and qld destroyed nsw lol you have all these pro nsw greats saying what went wrong but instead of stating the obvious that qld were a much better side without Dce they are blaming Cleary